Thursday night's federal election debate got heated right from the get-go.

After the English-language debate, Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet accused the debate moderator, Angus Reid president Shachi Kurl, of calling Quebecers "racists and xenophobes."

In her opening question to Blanchet, Kurl told the Bloc leader, "you deny that Quebec has problems with racism yet you defend legislation such as Bills 96 and 21, which marginalize religious minorities, Anglophones, and Allophones [...] for those outside the province, please help them understand why your party [...] supports these discriminatory laws."

"The question seems to imply the answer you want," Blanchet answered.

"You may repeat as many times as you want that those are discriminatory laws. We are saying that those are legitimate laws that apply on Quebec territory."

During the debate, Blanchet continued to field questions related to Quebec's Bill 21 and Bill 96.

Blanchet, who struck a furious tone at the post-debate press scrum, accused moderators of "hurling insults towards Quebecers."

"We were called racists and xenophobes by the moderator [...] when we want to talk about francophone Quebecers and Acadiens, we are crushed. So take whatever conclusions you want."